Tag: iowa craft beer

Freethought Brewing hitting Iowa and other Abu Nawas news!

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Another new brewery will be making their way into the Iowa market as Freethought brewing will be brought to us by Abu Nawas. More from Abu on this brewery:

This month we proudly introduce a brand new gypsy-brewing outfit that we’ve been working behind the scenes with for some time now, and which is finally ready to see the light of day…FREETHOUGHT. This is the brainchild of Ben Clayton and Ryan Jorgenson. For Ben & Ryan, FREETHOUGHT is a vehicle to design charming, sophisticated beers that spark imagination. Central to this aim, is an extreme focus on ingredients. With a strong culinary background at Blue Hill at Stone Barns, the pair have spent years studying the provenance and seasonality of ingredients, in addition to the heightened expression of flavor that comes from marrying just the right elements at just the right time of year. The beers of FREETHOUGHT take ingredient combination and selection to an entirely different level than anyone we’ve seen before, and we are certain that these guys are about to get seriously noticed. You heard it here first. To start, two spectacular debuts…

  • Principia – 6% Sour Ale brewed with Fennel Pollen, Meyer Lemon, Honey, & Milk Sugar (very limited 16oz cans)
  • Sapere Aud – 8.5% Double IPA hopped with Citra, Whole Cone Citra, & Citra Lulupin Powder (very limited 16oz cans)
  • Sapere Aud 1/6 bbl – 8.5% Double IPA hopped with Citra, Whole Cone Citra, & Citra Lulupin Powder (very limited Draft) 

Along with the Freethought announcement, there will be more Abomination and Fat Orange Cat brews hitting the shelves:

  • Fat Orange Cat Sweet  Jane Blues 16oz CAN – 7.9% Milkshake IPA brewed with Vanilla, Lactose & Fresh Blueberries.

  • Fat Orange Cat Launch 16oz CAN – 8% NE-Style DIPA

  • Fat Orange Cat Little Blue Penguin 16 oz  CAN – 6.6% Nelson & Motueka NE-Style IPA

  • Fat Orange Cat Remove The Beer From The Bottom of the Ocean 16oz CAN – 7.5% Eureka & Mosaic NE-Style IPA

Bricks Bar and Grill presents “Smoked + Firestone(d)” on 4/20!

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Bricks Bar and Grill in Cedar Rapids will be bringing us “Smoked + Firestone(d)” on April 20th! This event features a bunch of fantastic Firestone Walker beers on tap. Here’s the early release courtesy of Bricks:

We are back with our yearly 4.20 event and it is better than ever!
Come check out the buffet ($14.95) with our traditional smoked items and a few new things to peak your interests! (menu coming soon)

Firestone Lineup:

2018 Stickee Monkee
2018 Velvit Merkin
2018 Old Man Hattan
2016 Anniversary XX
2018 Anniversary XXII
2018 Bretta Tangerine
Pivo Pilsner
Easy Jack Session IPA
Mind Haze NEIPA
Union Jack West Coast IPA
Luponic Distortion #12 IPA
Lager

*bottles of 2018 Parabola will be available for purchase

Abu Nawas drop this week: Big Prairie drop! (Apple Brandy Noir anyone?), and Evil Twin

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Abu Nawas bringing us a big release of Prairie beers in the coming week, including the highly sought after Apple Brandy Barrel Noir! Here’s more from Abu:

EVIL TWIN

  • Evil Twin H is for Hops 16oz CAN – Dry-hopped Gose. 4.5% ABV.

  • Evil Twin Bible Belt 16oz CAN – Evil Twin version of the Legendary Collab. Bible Belt takes elements we love from Prairie Bomb! and combines them with Evil Twin Brewing’s world-famous stout, Even More Jesus. 13% ABV.

Prairie

NEW DROPS

  • Prairie Bible Belt Bottles  12/12oz Bottles – Prairie Version of A Collab of Epic Proportions. Bible Belt takes elements we love from Prairie Bomb! and combines them with Evil Twin Brewing’s world-famous stout, Even More Jesus. 13% ABV.
  • Prairie Oh! Fudge 12/12oz Bottles – Imperial stout brewed with brownies. 11.5% ABV.
  • Prairie Apple Brandy Barrel Noir 12/12oz Bottles. We received 4 cases of this and it will go to the top 4 supporters of Prairie this week!

    RESTOCK

  • Prairie Blueberry Boyfriend 24/12oz CAN – Sour Ale with Blueberries and Lemon Zest. 5.4% ABV
  • Prairie ERA  24/12oz CAN – Hoppy Delicious Farmhouse Ale. 4% ABV.
  • Prairie No Chill  24/12oz  CAN –  Milk Stout with Spaceship Earth Coffee in a CAN. 5.1% ABV.
  • Prairie Flare  24/12oz CAN – Gose brewed with orange and coriander. Perfect while yearning for Spring. 5.4% ABV.
  • Prairie Imaginary Friends  24/12oz CAN – American IPA bursting with Tropical and citrus notes. 7% ABV.
  • Prairie Vape Tricks  24/12oz CAN – Sour ale aged on cherries. 5.9% ABV.
  • Prairie Hulk Hands  24/12oz CAN – Gose dry hopped with Falconer’s Flight and Cascade Hops. 5.4% ABV.
  • Prairie Phantasmagoria  24/12oz CAN – Double IPA that’s big on the late boil and dry hopping. 8.0% ABV.
  • Prairie Picnic  24/12oz CAN – A Delicious Sessionable Pale Ale. 5.5% ABV.
  • Prairie Standard  24/12oz Bottles – Light, crisp farmhouse ale dry hopped with Motueka hops, a lovely New Zealand hop with a spicy lime like flavor and aroma. 5.6% ABV.
  • Prairie Bomb  12/12oz  Bottles – The Beer that started it all for Prairie. Imperial Stout aged on coffee, cacao nibs, vanilla beans and chili peppers. 13.0% ABV.
  • Prairie Deja Vous 12/750ml Bottles – Bottle conditioned farmhouse ale with Hibiscus and Brettanomyces Bruxellensis.

 

Firetrucker Tropical Burn coming to cans April 4th!

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Firetrucker will be releasing their popular mango double IPA in cans on Thursday April 4th, starting at 4:00 p.m. at the brewery in Ankeny. Here’s more info on this release courtesy of Firetrucker’s Facebook page:

☀️We think you’ve waited long enough…

😎Kick off patio season with a Tropical Burn in your hand! This DIPA with a one-two punch of mango is the perfect beer to take anywhere you go!

🔥Release is set for April 4th! Grab all the 4-packs you can carry starting next Thursday before they are available anywhere else. This 16oz can is full of 8.5% ABV goodness, so drink responsibly!

Big Grove Releasing “Morgan Horse” barrel-aged maple imperial stout on 4/20! + 3 others!

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Big news from Big Grove this week as they prep to release “Morgan Horse” barrel-aged maple imperial stout on April 20th along with 3 variants of that brew. With that, they will be releasing “Color TV”, their double dry hopped New England style IPA as well. Both Big Grove locations will be participating in the release. Hope to see you there, check below for more info!

If you’re a fan of our Richard the Whale parties—or fond of fun parties in general—here we go again! Saturday, April 20 is the release of our new Barrel-Aged Maple Imperial Stout, Morgan Horse + 3 AWESOME variants.

Joining Morgan Horse at the party is the second coming of Color TV, our Double Dry Hopped New England Style IPA brewed with galaxy hops. Arrive early for brunch and stick around for what will be an all-day party. 9:00AM Doors Open. Free coffee for anyone in line.

No tickets required. This event will be hosted at both the Iowa City Taproom and Solon Brewpub. More info to be released in the coming weeks. Thanks for the support!

This Week from Abu Nawas: Evil Twin, Stillwater, and more!

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Abu Nawas will be dropping some favorites as well as some new releases in the coming week to our shelves. Here’s what’s coming:

EVIL TWIN

  • Evil Twin The Pure and Simple 16oz CAN – Hazy NE-Style Double Dry-Hopped Session IPA. 4.5% ABV

  • Evil Twin Even More Coco Jesus 16oz CAN – Even More Jesus with Maple Syrup and Coconut Added.

  • Evil Twin No Hero 16oz CAN – Delicious Oatmeal Stout 7% ABV.

  • Evil Twin Brewing 90 Day Dry Aged Stout 16oz CAN – Evil Twin’s ode to the delicious complexities of loooong dry-aged beef!! The first in a series of new Stouts specifically designed to complement the decadent, blue-cheesy funk of a 90-day dry-aged Ribeye.

  • No Snowflake Ever Falls in the Wrong Place 16oz CAN -Brand new, fresh-as-can-be 7% Double Dry-Hopped NE IPA

  • Evil Twin Aun Mas Cafe Jesus 12oz CAN – 12% Imperial Stout brewed with Coffee Collective Espresso

  • Evil Twin Aun Mas Todo Jesus 12oz CAN –  12% Imperial Stout. Amalgamation of every Aun Mas Variation. Brewed with Chili Peppers, Cinnamon, Cocoa Nibs, & Coffee

STILLWATER

  • Stillwater Critical Thinking 16oz CAN – Imperial Stout from Brian. Killer Imperial Stout in a 16oz Can! 11% ABV.

  • Stillwater Mainstream Pop 16oz CAN – Double IPA brewed with Amarillo, Citra and Mosaic hops. 8% ABV.

  • Stillwater On Fleek 12oz CAN – Imperial Stout Collaboration with Ryan Witter-Merrithew formerly of Siren/Fano. Dangerously drinkable at this alcohol level. 13.0% ABV.

  • Stillwater Double Nothing Nitro 16oz CAN –  Nitro Dopplebock collaboration with Oliver Brewing. Malty/Nitro double feature makes this super soft and wonderful. 8% ABV

    • Stillwater Shaken Not Stirred 16oz CAN – 6% “Whiskey” Sour Nitro Ale

  • A remarkable release of very special, extremely limited 3-yr barrel (!!!) Barrel-Aged Cuvees. Designed as an expression of Petulant Natural Wines, each of these releases spent more than 3 years in French & Hungarian Oak, and then bottle conditioned for another 2 years to achieve the perfect, soft level of carbonation and mouthfeel. An extraordinary set of releases from Stillwater, in very limited quantities, never to be repeated:-

    • Stillwater Preternatural Cuvee 1 through 5. 10/750ml Bottles Package. Total of 10 Bottles per set. – 6 Sets Total

    1. Preternatural Cuvee #1 – 9.2% Blended BA Farmhouse ale with Sauvignon Blanc juice; very limited

    2. Preternatural Cuvee #2 – 8.6% Blended BA Farmhouse ale with Viognier juice; very limited

    3. Preternatural Cuvee #3 – 8.8% Blended BA Farmhouse ale with Cab Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, & Viogner juice; very limited

    4. Preternatural Cuvee #4 – 8.3% Blended BA Farmhouse ale with Pinot Noir, Cab Sauvignon, & Viogner juice; very limited

    5. Preternatural Cuvee #5 – 9.3% Blended BA Dark Farmhouse ale with Petite Syrah juice; very limited

OMNIPOLLO

  • Omnipollo Pleroma 12oz CAN – 6% Raspberry Crème Brulee Sour Ale
  • Omnipollo Shploing!  12oz CAN – IPA with marshmallow, graham cracker, salt and lactose sugar, it’s a MANGO S’MORES IPA. 7% ABV.
  • Omnipollo / ET  Rainbownade IPA 12oz  CAN – IPA brewed with grapefruit passion fruit, mango, raspberry and blueberry. 7% ABV.
  • Omnipollo / ET Pink Lemonade IPA 12oz  CAN – Pink Lemonade-style 7% ABV.
  • Omnipollo /ET Coffenade IPA 12oz  CAN – Coffee IPA brewed with Lemon. 7% ABV.
  • Omnipollo Agamemnon 16oz CAN – Omnipollo’s beloved, original 12.5% Maple Syrup Imperial Stout is back and better than ever in 16oz cans.

This Week from Abu Nawas: Big Clown Shoes drop!

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Abu Nawas will be getting a whole bunch of Clown Shoes beer to us this coming week. Here’s what’s coming up:

12 packs!
  • Clementine Witbier 12 Pack – Delicious Clementine witbier. 6.0% ABV.
  • Bubble Farm IPA 12 Pack – Easy Drinking IPA Brewed with Columbus hops and dry-hopped with Simcoe, Azacca, and Idaho 7, this easy-drinker will quickly float to the top of your everyday favorites list. 6.5% ABV
  • Galactica 16 oz CAN – Galaxy-hopped Double IPA. 8.0% ABV.
  • Space Cake 16oz CAN – All-Mosaic hopped Double IPA 9.0% ABV.
  • Clementine 12oz CAN 6Pack – Delicious Clementine witbier. 6.0% ABV.
  • Mango Kolsch  12oz CAN 6Pack – A traditional, crisp Kolsch, dry-hopped with Huell Melon hops and all-natural mango flavor. Now is 12 ounce cans just in time for the summer! 5.5%ABV
New CAN/Bombers:
  • CS Josh the Guava King  CAN 16oz –  Another old favorite is back! Enjoy a tropical take on an IPA, with guava notes derived from guava puree and from copious additions of Mosaic hops. ABV: 8%
  • Zen Garden CAN 16oz – NE-IPA from New England for a change! 7% ABV.
  • Cam The Conqueror CAN 16oz – Not at all what you’d expect from a high-ABV Triple IPA: Fruity, light bitterness, juicy, and smooth ABV: 10%
  • White Tail Unidragon 2019 22oz Bottles – This beer was supposed to be branded The Harrowing but due to Government Shut down and Labels not being Approved in time. it is now a 2019 Vintage of Whitetail Unidragon. New year, new deer! This updated take on Unidragon series sees a new Irish Imperial Stout base aged in both Bourbon and Rye barrels. ABV: 11%  Just in Time for a little know upcoming Irish Celebration. Go Big or Go Home
  • Hammer of the Holy (2019 Vintage) 22oz Bottles – Imperial Stout aged in rum barrels and it incorporates holy water, signature dark malts, oatmeal, and malt smoked with demon-killing stakes. Dear Undead, “Die, monsters, die!” ABV: 11%

Thew Brewing 1st Anniversary Party announced for 3/16!

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Thew Brewing will be celebrating their 1 year anniversary on Saturday, March 16th starting at noon. They will be releasing “Darkest Corners”, a barrel aged imperial stout at 5 p.m. Check below for more details. Happy Anniversary Thew!

Celebrate our first anniversary with us!

– Bottle release of Darkest Corners, barrel-aged imperial stout at 5 p.m. $20 each, limit 2 per person
– BOGO River Kings Kölsch all day
– Imperial stout in the Randall (infuser)
– $4 full pours of all other beers on tap (does not apply to kölsch or Randall)
– Free cake while it lasts
– For each beer purchased, receive an entry for prizes (you choose which prize you want to be entered for). Drawing will be at 10 p.m., you don’t need to be present to win.

We’re giving away:
* Brewmaster level Thew Crew membership (eight free beers a month for a year)
* $50 Thew Brewing gift card
* Four River Kings tickets to game of your choice
* Two field-level River Kings tickets to the April 20th game vs. Bismarck Bucks

Drink This! Lion Bridge King Cake…Happy 5 year LB!

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It really can’t be a surprise that this beer is my latest Drink This! addition. The winter months have been draining and soul sucking at times, but Lion Bridge has been able to lift us by the chin and say, “drink our beer, everything will be ok”. Not sure they would actually say that but Quinton does kind of look like the next coming of Jesus and actually, if he would run for President, I would vote for him or maybe Ana would be a better fit..??? any hoo…it’s no secret the demand that this beer has received, and that’s not why it’s my Drink This! choice. Publicity plays a big role into a sale, and this beer has been pubbed by many (yours truly included), but when your background has delivered and delivered on numerous occasions you can understand why at a 3:00 release on Tuesday afternoon, on your 5th Anniversary party you have line snaking almost outside your door, you have now hit that upper echelon of expectation.

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Expectation has always been there for Lion Bridge for every beer they’ve made. They expect quality, always have, and their gold medals show that. Now, however, they’ve hit the ever demanding beer lover, beer trader, beer connoisseur level of the craft market. When you’re a brewery that makes a wonderful pils (ziva voda returns soon), a terrific IPA (yard sale), a gold medal English Mild, and a hazy IPA that I can’t wait to see again (Majestic Beast), and now pair that with their Barrel-Aged January greatness that included the January mainstay Gazprom! and it’s variants along with my beer of the year nominee Home Baked, you’ve set yourself up to be an in demand brewery. Which leads us to….

**King Cake** – 5th Anniversary beer, brilliantly released on Fat Tuesday and a beer that dominates your tastebuds. It’s so easy to critique the things you don’t care for in a beer sometimes, but it sure is nice to appreciate the beauty of an amazing beer and taste what the brewers intended for you to taste. Decadence is the word used by Lion Bridge and that is spot on. That’s the perfect word to describe this beer, a caramel, chocolate, toffee, masterpiece really. So, for those who got it, sit back, sip on it, maybe share a taste with a buddy or loved one and just appreciate it.

McClain family…what a joy these last 5 years have been. Your class and focus on local has been such a welcome addition to the community and I’m very thankful I’ve had the opportunity to converse with you both. I would be remiss not to involve Alec Travis in this post…hard working, talented, class act who has been at Lion Bridge since the beginning…..such a great crew, with great leaders. Happy 5 Lion Bridge, King Cake was the perfect beer for this anniversary so it’s time to Drink This! beer!